Huntington discusses ordinances

By COREY BLUEMELStaff writer

City ordinances and their enforcement was a big topic at the recent Huntington City Council meeting. Zoning administrator and enforcement administrator Gary Arrington was requesting direction from the council as to the enforcement of the current city ordinances.

The current ordinances, which were recently redrawn and accepted by the council address the guidelines under which every resident of Huntington should function. All capacities of building and construction projects within the city are outlined with restrictions and requirements by the city, along with the need for a building permit from the city.

Arrington informed the council of several accessory structures which have been erected in city limits which did not have a building permit or the zoning clearance necessary for construction. "There is much misinformation out there in the community concerning the ordinances, and several residents have put up carports and sheds that do not meet the set back requirements," said Arrington.

A resident who attended the meeting said the ordinances have been enforced erratically in the past and not across the board to every resident. He suggested some sort of informational campaign to let each household in the town know that a building permit is required and zoning clearances must be obtained before building any accessory structures in their yard.

After much discussion, the Huntington City Council agreed their newly updated ordinances are sufficiently explicit in covering the regulations and the enforcement procedures. They instructed the city clerk to send a letter of explanation to each resident in town with information on how to get zoning clearances and a building permit for accessory structures, and that Huntington City will no longer tolerate the construction of any accessory structures without the proper permits and clearances.

In regards to the current zoning ordinances for Huntington City, the ordinance says any accessory structure erected should be set back 30 feet from the front property line, eight feet from a side property line, and eight feet from the back property line. Huntington City will enforce strictly, as of June 1, the ordinances for accessory structures in yards in town.

In other business conducted by the council, with comment gathered from three public hearings held, the council opened and adjusted the 2007-2008 budgets for Huntington City and the Huntington Municipal Building Authority. They also made corrections to and accepted the proposed budget for 2008-2009 budgets for those two entities.

Huntington City's next council meeting will be held July 16 at 6:30 p.m. in city hall.